1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electron emitting device using carbon fiber, electron source, image display device, method of manufacturing the electron emitting device, method of manufacturing electron source using the electron emitting device, and method of manufacturing image display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a wide variety of researches have been underway on fibrous carbon materials having an individual diameter in order of nanometer. Typically, a carbon nanotube is cited as an example of the fibrous carbon materials (carbon fibers).
The carbon nanotube is referred to as a fullerene having a cylindrical structure of a single layer or several layers of a graphite being wound, which is a new carbon material discovered in 1991 (refer to Nature, 354, (1991) 56).
The carbon nanotube has a cylindrically formed graphene. The carbon nanotube having a single layer of a cylindrical graphene sheet is called a single-wall nanotube, and the one having multiple layers of the cylindrical graphene sheets is called a multi-wall nanotube.
The carbon nanotube is characterized by such a form featuring a high aspect ratio and chemically outstanding durability. Because of this, low-vacuum driving is practicable at a low voltage, and yet, utilization as a source material of a cold cathode durable for long-term service is anticipated.
Typically, the method of manufacturing the above-described carbon nanotube includes the following: an electrophoretic deposition, thermal CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method, plasma CVD method, arc discharge method, and laser vaporization method.
In particular, since the thermal CVD method implements a synthesis method via chemical processes, a scale thereof can easily be expanded. Further, since this method utilizes hydrocarbon or the like as a raw material (synthesis gas), it is quite appropriate for mass production of the above carbon nanotube at a low cost.
For example, according to JP 07-197325 A and JP 09-188509 A, a method of manufacturing single-layer carbon nanotube by way of utilizing metallic catalyst such as iron, cobalt, or nickel, was proposed.
Further, those publications including 1996 “Science”, vol. 273, page 483, JP 2000-095509 A, and “Applied Physics Letters” 76 (2000) pp. 2367–2369, respectively reported on the vapor deposition method for manufacturing the carbon nanotube via utilization of catalyst.